Container for corrosive liquids



Dec. 8, 1925-l K. E. EDGEWORTH CONTAINER FOR CORROSIVE LIQUIDS Filed Aug. 11. 1924 2 SheetS-Shee' Patented Dec. 8, 1925. 'l

f .UNITED- STATE-'S KENNETH nssnx Enenwon'rn, or noNnoN, ENGLAND.

i coNrAINnn ron connosrvn LIdUIns.

Application led yAugiirlst 11, 194.24. Serial No. l(51,1510.

To all whom 'it may ccf/wem. f,

Be it known that I, KENNETH' Essnx EDGEWORTH, a British subject, and residing at Signals Experimental#` Establishment, Woolwich Common, London,- S. E. 18, England, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Containers for Corrosive Liquids, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to containers-for corrosive liquids, such as sulphuric acid, and particularly to containers for secondary cells or batteries of s uch cells.

The object of the invention is to provide a container which will be relatively ystrong land at the lsame time light and resistant to the actinof corrosive liquids.

'As is well known, a satisfactory container for portable lead secondary batteries should be light, vmechanically strong and acidproof. Celluloid has been extensively used in forming such containers, as thislmaterial may be obtained of a sutiicient thickness to withstand careful handling. It is, h'owever,

necessary to place such ,containers in a wood or metal box for further protection from mechanical damage. Celluloid is, moreover, open to objection on the ground of its inflammability while other, materials which it has been attempted to use hitherto have not proved entirely satisfactory. l The invention .consists-broadly in a container for corrosiveliquids comprising a member formed of ebonite or like acid-resisting rigid material inv which thefllling aperture is formed`- a soft and flexible rubber bag, a

l the plates of the cell and in which the vent and filling hole are formed, a soft and flexible rubber bag open at the top, the peripheral edge of which is'vulcanized to the top plate, and a casing ofmetal, wood or other suitable material, also open at the top,

which completely encloses the rubber bag and to which the top'plate is rigidly attached by screws or other suitable means.

Similarly, a battery of several cells will `comprise, a top plate for each cell, a rubber ,already described'.

- 1 bag `for each cell and a'single casing divided into compartments by partltions, each partitionforming a support for the sides of two adjacent cells.

Preferably, thel external surface Vof the 'adhesive to the interior walls of the casing land to the partitions if these are provided.'

YIn forming a secondary cell in accordance vwith the invention the battery plates. and the separators are assembled and associated with the top plate kin which the vent and filling hole and the like areprovided,

The rubber bag is then 4placed over the battery plates, the upper edge of the bagl being vulcanized to the top plate which may beprovided with a flange to, facilitate connection in this way. The casing`is coated inside with .an adhesive material, such as ,PA'ITENT-OFFICE- y .rubber bag is secured by means of a suitable l rubber solution, and the top plate and bag l are inserted therein, the air inside the bag being sucked out if desirable to facilitate this operation. The top plate is then secured 1n the casing in its appropriate posi- .tion by screws o r othenmeans, and .air is blown into the mouth'of the .bag through the vent or filling hole so as to expel the air between its external 'surface and the internal surface of the walls of the casing and to cause the bag to adhere `to the-casing.

After the adhesive-has hardened as, for

instance, by the evaporation of the solvent the cell may be put into use. Where there i-s a vplurality of cells each cell is assembled in its own compartment the manner In forming a vessel intended purely for the transport of corrosive liquids the casing may be formed from metal and be of any convenient shape or size and it may be in contradistinction to thecasing employed in forming a storage battery provided with atop portion of metal or like rigid material permanently secured to its side walls.4 In such case, an aperture will be provided in the top of the casing in which a tubular member formed of ebonite' or other acidresisting material may be secured, a cap, stopper or like closing means being arranged.

to co-operate with thisl tubular member to form a closure for the vessel.4 With this construction a rubber bag of suitable form provided with an opening more or less corresponding witlrthe cross-sectionall area of the tubular member will be employed and the edgesof the wall of thev bag adacent to l this openingwill be connected to the tubular member as, for instance," by a vulcanizing operation. The bag` may then be deiiated andinserted into the casing, the internal surface offthe walls of which have been optionally covered with an adhesive. After insertion the bag may be iniiated to expel the air between its Walls and the casing; the

. tubular member forming the inlet and Outbattery comprising` v three,

let of the vessel may be secured to the casing in any convenient manner and it may be yinternally or externally screw threaded 1n order that a cap or stopper may be engaged therewith.- E

Certain constructions in accordance with the invention are illustrated by way of example in the 'accompanying dravings, in

which Figure 1 is a cross-section of a single cell,

, Iand lFigure 2 `is a longitudinal section of a cells furnished with a removable' lid; l

y Figure B'being a view in sectional eleva# v `tion of a vessel adapted to beemployed purelyvin the transport or vstorage of corrosive liquids. lIn the drawin s. the side .walls of the casingv are indicated by the reference 1, while 2 indicates the bottomof the casing.

Referring to Figures 1- and 2, 3 is the top plate provided with a filling hole and vent 4' and. apertures in which the terminal lugs 5 of thebatt'ery-plate 6 are engaged. The top plate is provided with a'iange 7 extending downward and to this flange the mouthof the bag-8 is vulcanized. The top plate with the is inserte f tothe partitions if thesel are provided.

, 4Referring' to Figure 3, the casing comprises a top plate 11 provided with a flange 12 extending upward. Within the 'tlange a tubular member 13 which is formed, for

instance, of ebonite and vulcanized to the- .walls of the rubber bag 14 adjacent to the aperture. 15 therein is secured bymeans of screws 16. This tubular member is externally screw threaded and isadapted to be engaged by a-cap 17.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-'

1. A container for-corrosive liquids, com` prising a member formed of ebonite or like acid-resisting rigid `material in which the lilling aperture is formed, a soft and flexible rubber bag, a vulcanized joint between the mouth of the bag and said member, and a casing of rigid material which is not necessarily resistant to the corrosive action of the liquid enclosing the bag and rigidly connected with the member furnished with lthe filling aperture.

2. A container for a portable seconda-ry cell comprising a top plate to which are attached the plates of the cell and in which .the vent and filling hole are formed, a sott and flexible rubber' bag, a vulcanized joint between the peripheral edge of the bag and the top plate, and a casing formed of wood or metal enclosing the bag and rigidly atv tached to-theA top plate.'

3. A container for a battery of portable secondary cells comprising a single casing, partitions in'said casing dividing the-same into a plurality of compartments, a cell in each'of said compartments, said cell including a top plate to which the electrodes of the cell are Secured and in which the vent and filling hole are formed, a soft and flexible rubber bag connected, to said top plate by a vulcanized joint between the peripheral edge of' the lbag and the top plate, andI a rigid connection between the top plate nd the walls of the compartments wlth Whichit is associated.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name' to this specification. v KENNETH ESSEX .EDGEWORTII 

